Back when I was writing for blogging.la, I posted about the movie The Emerald Diamond, a documentary on the Irish national baseball team which was on a US tour at the time.
You can find out more about the movie at the official website. John Fitzgerald, the producer and director, sent an email out yesterday with some updates, including his being on FoxNews this morning doing promoting. He’s also posted parts on YouTube. Here’s the trailer:
And there are a few longer segments of the movie linked from his userpage here.
He’s begun a new website to solicit funding supporting the sport in Ireland, so if you’re interested, head on over there:
As many of you know, I recently started a charity to raise money for the Irish National Team and youth baseball programs in Ireland. You can learn more at www.SupportIrishBaseball.com; – there are also some outtakes from the movie on that website.
O’Malley connection
I’m guessing my mind was already on the Guinness, because I forgot to mention the Dodger/O’Malley connection. As discussed on the Baseball Ireland website:
Much of the interest generated in Baseball over the past few years can be attributed to the dream of a generous sponsor and the development of a purpose-built Baseball facility in Clondalkin, West Dublin.
Irish-American Peter O’Malley, owner and President of the Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball organisation, first met with the Irish Baseball & Softball Association in 1994. Having already developed baseball fields in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and China, O’Malley pledged $140,000 to the building of an Irish Baseball facility.
Building on the site began in June of 1997 and both fields were officially opened for play on July 4th, 1998. The facility incorporates a regulation sized adult field (Dodger Baseball Field) and an international standard Little League field (O’Malley Little League Field).
Luck of the Irish
While it’s not the baseball team, the Irish cricket team skittled Pakistan today in World Cup action.
The boisterous Irish fans could barely contain their joy on St Patrick’s Day.
On an appropriately green wicket with bounce and seam movement, Ireland won the toss and took their first wicket with the last ball of the first over.[...]
If they can win here they have a huge chance of making the Super Eights, an unimaginable prospect three days ago.